Ball retainers for use in cooperation with rackets



April 12, 1960 E. N. BERGMARK BALL RETAINERS FOR USE IN COOPERATION WITH RACKETS Filed April 11, 1958 FIG.6

FIG.3A

'INVENTOR.

AITTORNEY.

United States Patent BALL RETAINERS FOR USE IN COOPERATION WITH RACKETS Eric N. Bergmark, Bronxville, NY. Application April 11, 1958, Serial No. 728,003

3 Claims. (Cl. 273-73) 'It is already known generally to mount a ball retainer.

on a press" used to prevent deformation of the racket frame. An object of this invention is to eliminate the need for a press to retain the balls.

Another object is to provide a simple, economical device for retaining the balls on the racket.

The attainment of these and other objects is shown in connection with a combination which briefly stated includes a racket having frame, stringing and handle or shank portions and a retainer piece engageable with the balls for holding same against one of said portions, and a member permanently attached to said piece and engageable with one of said portions.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, several of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 shows a portion of a racket with one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of Figure 1 taken along the line 22 looking in the direction of the arrows of said line and showing one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the embodiment shown in Figure 2.

Figure 3a shows a part of a racket with a second form of the invention. I

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the invention as also shown in Figure 3a taken along the line 4-4 looking in the direction of the arrows of said line.

Figure 5 shows a plan of another form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the form of the invention shown in Figure 5 along the line 66 looking in the direction of the arrows of said line.

Figure 7 shows yet another form of the invention.

The invention is shown in connection with a racket, such as a tennis racket 10 having a frame 11, strung with conventional strands, such as gut 12, and having a handle or shank 14.

The invention in general comprises a ball retainer which'may take several forms such as 15, a, 15b and 150 for retaining balls B against a part of the racket. More than one form of the invention may be used with the same racket at the same time.

The retainer 15 is a somewhat triangular shell having downturned side flanges 16 at each side and particularly adapted to be disposed over three, although the number is not critical, balls B lying against the gut 12 of the racket. The central portion 17 of the shell is provided with a pocket or inwardly projecting tube 18 containing a plunger 19 provided with a hook 20 on its inner end and a finger push-piece 21 at the outer end. A compression spring 22 between the push piece 21 and the inner end of the tube 18, urges the shell down against the balls, when the gut 12 is held in the hook as in Figure 2. A detent 23 on the plunger prevents the loss of the latter by obvious engagement with the tube.

The shell 15 may be of rigid material such as plastic or sheet metal, for example. The corner portions 24 of the shell may be somewhat open as shown in Fig. 3 but not so much as to allow the balls to escape at the corner portions.

The retainer 15a is somewhat boat-shaped and is especially suitable for holding one or more balls against a face 25 of the handle or shank by means of spring clips 26 engaging the handle or shank and secured on the retainer.

The retainer 15b is a shell somewhat similar to that of Figure 3, though not necessarily triangular, and is provided with at least three radial spring hook pieces 28 secured to the outer face of the shell and extending over and under the frame as at 29 to attach the retainer to the frame. A large number of balls may be held between the gut and retainer by this form of the invention.

The retainer 15c need not be rigid and may be of material such as fabric or netting and can be. attached to the racket by two or more pairs of tie strings 30.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination, a racket having stringing and adapted to have balls disposed thereon, a retainer piece having downturned side members, corner portions substantially equally radially spaced about a central portion of the piece for holding balls in the corner portions against the stringing; said central portion having a downwardly projecting pocket; a plunger in the pocket and passing downwardly through the piece, the plunger having a hook on the lower end thereof for hooking onto the stringing and a head on the upper end; a compression spring in the pocket and about the plunger and compressed between the head and piece, and means to limit upward movement of the plunger.

2. In a combination as claimed in claim 1, said piece being substantially rigid.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 2, the retainer piece being substantially triangular.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Italy Apr. 18, 1953 

